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Intensified Humid Heat Events Under Global Warming
Author(s) -
Wang Pinya,
Yang Yang,
Tang Jianping,
Leung L. Ruby,
Liao Hong
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2020gl091462
Subject(s) - coupled model intercomparison project , tropics , environmental science , climatology , latitude , atmospheric sciences , global warming , mean radiant temperature , climate change , climate model , geology , oceanography , geodesy , fishery , biology
Based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 multimodel simulations, this paper investigates the future changes in extreme wet‐bulb temperatures (TWs) and extreme dry‐bulb temperatures (Ts) globally under both low‐emission and high‐emission scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways of 4.5 [RCP4.5] and 8.5 [RCP8.5]). Under a warming climate, T and TW exhibit a higher absolute increase in their mean values over the mid–high latitudes while they show higher relative increases in their mean values and variability over tropics. Humid and dry heat events which consist of consecutive extreme TWs and Ts show higher occurrences over tropics, governed by the joint increases in mean values and variability of TW and T therein. Humid heat events show intensifications to dry heat events with higher frequency, duration, and intensity, driven by the lower variability of TW than T. In the mid–high latitudes, heat events will start earlier and last longer in warm season under RCP8.5 than RCP4.5, motivating the need for global warming mitigation.